Orientation

IAP expects you to be an active participant in preparing yourself for your study abroad experience. As a participant on an IAP program, you will receive a pre-departure orientation, either in-person or online. The type and format of this orientation will vary by program and will be provided to you upon acceptance to the program.

ACTR holds a mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington , D.C. An orientation session held upon arrival helps with adjustment to the new surroundings.

Visa

A student visa is required. U.S. citizens must have a U.S. passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of the program. ACTR will provide you with visa information.

Getting to Your Program

ACTR holds a mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington , D.C. - which is also where the optional group flight departs.

Insurance

You will be enrolled in the UW System required health insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) and the cost of the insurance coverage is included in program fees.

In partnership with the UW-Madison, American Councils for International Education (ACTR), a non-profit educational association and academic exchange organization, offers the opportunity to study the Russian language and area studies in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladimir, and Almaty, Kazakhstan. The programs, which are designed to maximize linguistic and cultural immersion into Russian society, emphasize the development of practical speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills as well as offering courses on contemporary Russian society and culture.

Students can experience the profound economic and political changes taking place in Russia firsthand. The largest of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Russia reaches from Europe to Asia. In Moscow, the capital city, discover the 850 year history of the city. St. Petersburg is largely regarded as Russia's cultural center. Vladimir, a city with 360,000 inhabitants, located south of Moscow, has all the amenities of a small city.

Moscow is the largest city in Russia, with a population of over 11 million. It serves as the capital of Russia with the Kremlin at the city center. It is a major political, economic, and cultural center of Russia. Moscow has one of the world's busiest metro systems which is famous for its architecture and artwork. The metro system is also very efficient as trains come every two minutes! Moscow offers many opportunities to appreciate the Russian arts firsthand. The Tretyakov Gallery holds rare paintings by Russian artists from Ilya Repin to fifteenth century iconographer Andrie Rublev. For those interested in performance art, there are 93 theaters located in Moscow, including the legendary Bolshoi Theater. Moscow is also one of the most green cities in Europe with 96 parks and 18 gardens.

Getting to Your Program

ACTR holds a mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington , D.C. - which is also where the optional group flight departs.

Visa

A student visa is required. U.S. citizens must have a U.S. passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of the program. ACTR will provide you with visa information.

Orientation

IAP expects you to be an active participant in preparing yourself for your study abroad experience. As a participant on an IAP program, you will receive a pre-departure orientation, either in-person or online. The type and format of this orientation will vary by program and will be provided to you upon acceptance to the program.

ACTR holds a mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington , D.C. An orientation session held upon arrival helps with adjustment to the new surroundings.

Housing

After an initial orientation and adjustment period, students have the option of living with a host family or remaining in a university dormitory. The majority of participants choose the host-family option. Living with a Russian family introduces everyday Russian life, increases contact with Russians, and exposes students to contemporary language and culture in informal social settings.

Excursions and Activities

Students travel to local cultural, historical, or social sites as part of the program.

Insurance

You will be enrolled in the UW System required health insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) and the cost of the insurance coverage is included in program fees.

Returned Student Network

How to Apply

First complete the IAP Online Application. UW Affiliate programs may require you to apply directly to the affiliate either simultaneously during the IAP application process OR after you have received a preliminary admissions decision from IAP. After you have completed the IAP Online Application, the following forms will become available to you through the application portal. Be sure to read the instructions carefully for information on when to apply to the affiliate.

Please Note: Forms are subject to change. Complete the forms according to the checklist provided to you in the online application portal.

After the Deadline

IAP will review your application and make a preliminary admissions decision. You will be notified of the admissions decision via email. The affiliate university or organization will make the final admissions decision.

Participate in one of three language program options in one of four cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladimir, or Almaty.

Moscow International University, located in central Moscow, prepares specialists in economics, finance, management, ecology, sociology, and foreign languages. American Councils places students in the MIU's Department of Russian as a Foreign Language.

Herzen University, located in central St. Petersburg, is one of the leading education institutions in all of Russia. American Councils enrolls students in the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language.

Vladimir's KORA Center for Russian Language Study is located in the historic "Golden Ring" of communities that have played a significant role in Russian history. The program offers undergraduate-level language programs, combined language training, and subject-area coursework in cooperation with a specialized "KORA" language training facility.

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) hosts the program in Almaty. While there is a growing national interest in speaking and learning Kazakh, Russian remains the country’s lingua franca; all official information, as well a street names, road signs, and public announcements are produced in both Russian and Kazakh.

Most students enroll in the Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP), which provides approximately 20 hours per week of in-class instruction in Russian grammar, phonetics, conversation, and cultural studies. However, there are two more specific, tailored programs that run concurrently with RLASP:

The Business Russian Language and Internship (BRLI) program combines a specially-designed curriculum for business Russian and a ten to twenty hour per week internship with a U.S. or Russian business in Moscow or St. Petersburg. Students will attend classes at partner universities, and take part in an internship on some afternoons and one full day per week. This program requires prior knowledge of the Russian language (typically six semesters, although four may be sufficient). All internship placements are subject to availability.

The Individualized Russian Language Program for Heritage Speakers is intended to address the specific needs of students who speak Russian at home or with relatives, or who grew up speaking Russian and wish to strengthen their Russian skills. Program participants work with American Councils staff and host university faculty to develop a tutorial program serving their unique needs as language learners.

Note: the BRLI and Heritage tracks are only available at the St. Petersburg and Moscow sites. The Contemporary Russian and Russian Language Teachers Program are currently not IAP-approved tracks.

Program cost information includes program fees, as well as out-of-pocket expenses with notes to help explain costs. Program fees are estimated and can be adjusted at any time. Once accepted, you will receive a cost sheet that includes confirmed program fees and additional out-of-pocket expenses.

Scholarships

This scholarship list includes scholarships IAP knows about that are relevant to your desired program. It is not an exhaustive list of all available scholarship opportunities for study abroad. Although we make our best effort to ensure the list is up-to-date this information changes frequently, and it is the responsibility of the applicant to verify information. For additional scholarship information, please visit our scholarship page.